by April | Nov 25, 2013 | Audio Talk, Dreams, Encouragement, Faith, Trust
Last week I was honored to give the talk at my church’s women’s luncheon entitled Who We Are In Christ. I had many people tell me they were sorry they couldn’t come, and others ask if I could send them a copy. I thought about posting the text of my speech here on my blog, but speeches don’t read the same as they sound. As a result, I got to thinking about doing a recording for my blog. My sweet husband helped me record it and below is the result. You can listen online through my blog (just hit play) or you can download it. It’s just about twelve minutes long.
Now, this was primarily written to women, but my husband feels that it translates well to men, too. However, I didn’t change it to that end. So, if you are male, please don’t think I forgot about you:) You just weren’t the FIRST intended audience.
If you’ve ever been disappointed in life, if you’ve ever had to let go of a dream or the vision you had of yourself, then take a few minutes out of your day to listen.
After you listen, leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks!
If you’d like to save this to your computer, right click on the link below and select ‘Save As…”
Download Audio
Biblical texts mentioned in my talk:
Colossians 2: 9-12
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
John 15:5-8
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
by April | Nov 17, 2013 | Encouragement, Interview, Writing
Please join me in welcoming best-selling author, Bonnie Leon, to my blog. I’m so excited to have her for my very first author interview! I’ve known Bonnie for several years, first meeting at an Oregon Christian Writers conference. She’s a compassionate and encouraging writing mentor, as well as an amazing author who weaves intriguing and authentic feeling fiction. Don’t forget to comment or ask your own question for a chance to win an ebook copy or signed paperback copy (your choice!) of The Journey of Eleven Moons. You can read my review of her novel here.
Without further delay, please take a moment to get to know Bonnie Leon!
What inspired you to start writing?
I’m certain it was God. I didn’t plan to write, but one day late in 1989 I just had to spill my heart onto paper. I filled legal pads with my thoughts, personal experiences, short stories and poems. It became a part of my every day life.
He sent me reeling again in 1991. I’d been playing at writing, up until then. When a logging truck overturned and hit my van I was badly injured and unable to return to work. I wasn’t able to do much of anything and fell into a depression. What was I going to do with my life? I asked God to give me something to do. He told me to write. It wasn’t easy at first. I felt empty. But gradually the words started flowing. And what had been a hobby became a way of life.
How long did it take you before you were first published?
While attending my first writing conference in 1992, I was inspired to write my first novel. I returned home and over the next ten months I discovered what it meant to create a novel. What an amazing experience. The story and its characters came to life. I was astounded by the whole process.
The following summer at the OCW (Oregon Christian Writers) Summer Conference I presented the manuscript to the acquisitions editor for Thomas Nelson Publishing. I nearly fainted when she said she liked it and could I send her the first three chapters. And when she contacted me a few weeks later requesting the entire manuscript I was truly stunned. Several weeks later I received a postcard in the mail saying she couldn’t find my phone number (tip – always include an email address and phone number) and would I please call her. Hands shaking, I picked up the phone. Thomas Nelson wanted to publish my book! I was flabbergasted. Who sells the first book they’ve ever written to the first publisher to read it?
My first sale happened quickly, but the writing journey has been a lot of hard work with lots of mountain tops as well as deep valleys. Still, I love it and can’t imagine doing anything else.
Do you write fiction, nonfiction, or both?
All my books, thus far, have been fiction, but I just completed a memoir (which is a lot like fiction) for a Native American woman who grew up in the Alaskan wilderness. I’ll share more with you about this book below.
I don’t foresee me writing non-fiction. I’m a storyteller at heart and love to create a tale that captures the heart and mind.
Where do you get your ideas?
Ideas come from all sorts of places. Sometimes they just pop into my mind and begin to reveal themselves. There are some that begin with a character. Other times I find them in scripture. There are a lot of amazing stories in the Bible. They don’t need to be told as Biblical fiction, but can be transported to another time and place. And history has so much to say. Often when I’m doing research for one book I find a piece of history that begs to be fashioned into a story.
How much research, if any, do you do when writing a book?
Research is a huge part of storytelling. And it never stops. Sometimes I go digging for a detail even when a book is in print. As a writer, I’m committed to authenticity. I work hard to make certain the backdrop is true to life and accurate. That can only happen if I’m willing to immerse myself in the time and place. And the only way a reader can be immersed in a story is if the staging is authentic and captivating. To make that happen takes more hours of research than I can count, but I would guess it’s in the hundreds of hours.
Do you use an outline, or do you prefer to write by the seat of your pants?
I’ve always admired seat of your pants writers. I’ve wished that I could do that. It looks like so much fun. However, I admit to being a plotter. Before I can get down to writing I need to create an outline. It’s like a map that leads me through the scenes and plots twists of a story. But I do love those times when something completely unexpected shows up and carries me places I’d never even thought of. When I get done writing those scenes I sit back and ask, “Where did that come from?” I usually don’t know, but that’s okay because I’ve had a lot of fun creating it.
Where do you write?
I have an office that is part of my home. For years I sat at my computer at my desk, but now I do my writing in a big leather recliner. I actually work better and faster at a desk, but my back won’t take the hours of sitting in an office any more. It needs pampering.
I’ll be moving in a couple of months to a new home and my husband and I designed my office so I have a million dollar view while I work. That is if I still get any work done.
What are your hobbies/interests (other than writing)?
Hobbies? What are those? I used to have some. These days, my life feels crammed full of responsibilities. My writing takes up a huge chunk, along with social networking. Plus my aged mother moved nearby and she needs a lot of my time. I don’t mind, but it does cut into other activities. Also, I live close to family and we spend lots of time together. Actually I’m living with my youngest daughter and her family now while the new house is being built. I enjoy gabbing with my daughter and grandkids, probably too much.
Family is a beautiful part of my life, bringing laughter and joy and even heartache. I’d never trade them for hobbies.
All that being said, I am a movie buff. I absolutely love a good movie, all kinds except horror. My favorites are those based on true stories. I also read whenever I can. And my husband promised me that next summer, when he’s not building a house, we can take the boat up to the mountain lakes and do some fishing, which is my favorite hobby.
Do you consider yourself to be an introvert or an extrovert, and how do you think that effects your writing?
I’m definitely an extrovert. I love people and enjoy spending time with friends and family. One of the highlights of my week is our church home group. It is fun to get together with other believers and talk about life and God and to pray and worship together.
As I’ve aged, I’ve found I need time alone when it’s just me and the wind in the trees and the sound of happy birds.
When I first started writing I wondered how a “people person” like me ended up spending the majority of her time at a computer, but I’ve made peace with it. I think the reclusive writing part of my life has helped me appreciate the time I get to spend outside my office. And the extrovert part of me makes social networking easier and more fun.
Tell us a bit about your latest book. What was your inspiration?
The Journey of Eleven Moons is actually the first book I wrote and published. I have always loved the story, but when I reread it a couple of years ago, I saw right away that it was written by a newbie writer—me. I wished I could rewrite it and decided that 2013 was the year to recreate the book and I set to work. It was more difficult than I’d imagined, but I’m thrilled with the results. It is a much better book now.
It takes place in Alaska in 1886 and tells the tale of Anna and her sister, Iya, who are left to survive on their own after a tsunami destroys their village. There is a blue-eyed stranger who has wandered onto their Aleutian island. He offers to help the two native girls, but Anna is convinced he cannot be trusted. She is faced with a quandary—trust him or perish.
A family story inspired the book. My grandmother was Aleut and she grew up in Unalaska, Alaska. One day as a young woman she stood on a bluff and watched a tsunami slam into the shore below her. The image always stayed with me and when it was time to write my first book my grandmother’s experience grew into what became The Journey of Eleven Moons.
What project can we look forward to seeing next?
As I mentioned above, I’ve written a memoir. It is an amazing tale of a Native American woman, Lily, who grew up in the Alaskan wilderness during the 1940’s and 1950’s. She lived a life unlike any I’ve ever known. Her father was a true mountain man and Lily grew up in the shadow of his brutality. Against all odds, she survived and even thrived.
Is there a subject you’ve longed to write about, but haven’t had the chance?
Yes. Of course. My mind and heart are full of ideas. I’m a writer, after all.
I do have a story I’m working on right now. It’s been tugging at me for many years, but I always seemed to be caught up in a new historical without time for something more. It’s a contemporary tale about overcoming—finding hope and fulfilling dreams even when life seems to be without purpose and full of despair.
The huge life change after my accident inspired this story. Finding my way out of darkness and into a place with purpose and even joy wasn’t easy and is something I still struggle with some of the time. There are many others, like me, who have been forced to find a new way to live. I hope to shed light on the process and have fun along the way.
If you’ve written other books, could you please list their titles or series name?
Northern Lights Series
The Sowers Trilogy
A Sacred Place
The Matanuska Series
The Queensland Chronicles
The Sydney Cove series
Alaskan Skies series
Where can your readers go to connect with you online?
They can connect with me on my website at www.bonnieleon.com or subscribe to my blog at http://bonnieleon.blogspot.com and my Facebook author page here.
Where can readers find your latest release?
It will be available on www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.christianbook.com, www.ashberrylane.com and all the other usual places.
Thanks so much for joining us Bonnie!
Readers, and please leave a comment or ask your own question below for a chance to win an ebook copy of The Journey of Eleven Moons.
by April | Nov 15, 2013 | Book Reviews, Writing
I’ve just finished a lovely book called The Journey of Eleven Moons by best-selling author, Bonnie Leon. This is a revised version of the novel she had published in 1995. Although I’m a huge fan of Bonnie’s novels, I’ve never read this series, so I can’t compare it to the original or any changes that were made—but from chapter one, I was immediately drawn into the story.
Bonnie Leon gracefully weaves a tale of realistic, deep characters who experience real-life tragedies and triumphs, all the while staying true to a culture and time that transports the reader. We are introduced to a group of the Aleut peoples in Alaska, the harshness and beauty of their surroundings, their traditions, and spiritual life set around the end of the 19th century.
Horrible tragedy leaves Anna and her youngest sister orphaned and destitute. The relationship formed between the two moves from sibling to parental in a natural way, allowing us to identify with the character on a deeper level—Anna has to move beyond her grief for her sister’s sake, and try to build their lives again. When Anna meets Erik, a Civil War veteran, she’s instantly distrustful of the tall foreigner—with good reason. But Erik proves to be a true friend in their time of great need.
The beauty of the Alaskan wilderness and its native people (as well as the occasional ugliness of foreigners looking for quick wealth) are shared in a truthful, unbiased way. Bonnie portrays the Aleut culture in a respectful, but honest light. She does an equally skillful job interweaving the message of the gospel with a subtly that shows us what it was like for Anna to go from her multi-theistic belief system to learning about the One True God.
All in all, the realism of emotion and setting pulls the reader through the story to a very satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this book and gave it five stars.
You can find The Journey of Eleven Moons in your local bookstore, or pop over to Amazon and order it here.
by April | Nov 11, 2013 | Thankfulness
I’m always struck by the offerings of gratitude and thankfulness at this particular time of year. In the US we’re readying for Thanksgiving, a day we ponder and feel thankful for all the gifts and blessings we have received in our lives. In Christian homes, there is prayer and thanksgiving to God for these gifts. This makes sense to me–being thankful in general to a non-sentient universe (as the media portrays thankfulness) always leaves me wanting.
I enjoy reading daily posts of what people are thankful for on Facebook as they take a daily census: their God, their family, their freedoms, their health, their abilities. All in all, good things. I’m also thankful for other things: struggles, obstacles, hardships, because through these things I am learning what it means to persevere. I’ve learned that the Lord is my strength (truly) and my shield. I have learned He is my protector, my King, my worthy Savior.
I love this time of year, when the mountains are emboldened around me turning golden, red and orange. I gaze in wonder as the sun blazes bright through the last lingering leaves on the maples outside, striking my window and filling my bedroom with the warmth of color and heat before winter arrives full-force. I open my living room window and watch the wild finches flitting from branch to branch, scrambling for seed we’ve left outside as they prepare for cooler temperatures. Their lilting chirping sounds full of expressions of contentment—and sometimes warnings when the scrub jays arrive unannounced—fill my spirit with sweetness.
Today, I’m thankful especially for nature, for God’s fingerprints on creation that remind me of His appreciation of beauty, His authorship of our world, His mighty love for us.
Psalm 100: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.Enter his gates with thanksgiving,and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good;his steadfast love endures forever,and his faithfulness to all generations.
by April | Nov 2, 2013 | Encouragement
Sit on down with your cup of coffee or tea (I’ve got an informal poll going on over on my Facebook page here if you want to share your preference) and take a few minutes to catch up with me. Thanks!
Part One: A reader stopped me to ask if I’d gotten her message on my web page. I hadn’t–and apologized. After doing some research on my web site, I’ve discovered that the Contact April form was defunct. It used to work, and silly me, I assumed it was still functioning! So sorry to anyone who has used that method to send me messages–I’m not ignoring you! They are in the internet void. Needless to say, I’m none too pleased with the plugin I’d been using. The new one works fine. So, message away!
Part Two: I’m excited to announce that my next novel, The Long Haul, will be out in June 2014. Here’s a bit about it:
Until she’d watched Arthur drive their big rig out of the parking lot, leaving her alone and pregnant in a diner hundreds of miles off route, Macy thought her life was going okay. Marrying an older man to escape her problems might not have been the best plan, but it was the only one she had.
Macy longed for independence her whole life, but this wasn’t what she had in mind. Now, abandoned and afraid, how will she survive? And will she ever find someone to love her for who she is—not what she can do for them?
I haven’t seen the cover art as yet, but knowing my publisher as I do, I’m sure it will be fabulous!
Part Three: I’ll be speaking at Newberg Christian Church’s women’s luncheon on who we are in Christ (touches on our expectations, hopes and dreams), and let me say, I’m deadly nervous. I do appreciate everyone’s telling me it will be fine. I’ll let you know if you’re right after it’s over! If you’d like to come make funny faces at me while I talk and share fellowship and food with a great group of ladies, join us here at noon on November 17th.
Part Four: Did you know I used to be the librarian at our church? That was in earlier, energy filled times. I do miss it–reading all those new books (love the smell of fresh ink on the printed page!) and telling folks about them. I got to thinking, I still read all those new books, and I’d love to tell you about them. So, every now and then, I’m going to be posting book recommendations and interviews with my favorite authors. I hope you’ll enjoy hearing about what they are up to and pick up a new title here and there. You might even see a contest (free books!). So, keep your eyes open–and subscribe to my blog posts so you don’t miss a thing!
So, do tell, what’s new with you?
Many blessings!
April
Last week I was honored to give the talk at my church’s women’s luncheon entitled Who We Are In Christ. I had many people tell me they were sorry they couldn’t come, and others ask if I could send them a copy. I thought about posting the text of my speech here on my blog, but speeches don’t read the same as they sound. As a result, I got to thinking about doing a recording for my blog. My sweet husband helped me record it and below is the result. You can listen online through my blog (just hit play) or you can download it. It’s just about twelve minutes long.